Freeform Rhubarb Pie

This doesn't really have a recipe - roll out a piece of pastry, place on a baking sheet, pile in some sweetened fruit, fold in the edges, dampen the pastry, sprinkle lightly (or heavily if you prefer)with demerara sugar and bake at 180C until the pastry is golden and the fruit bubbling.

There were a few details which might be useful

* I used SR flour for the pastry, as I wanted the softer, shorter type of pastry this gives. I used 200g SR flour, 100g butter and no sugar for this basic shortcrust. This made a pie which gave 4 generous portions

* I sprinkled about 3 tablespoons of ground almonds over the area of the pastry to be covered with fruit, to absorb some of the juices.

* I added a tablespoon of orange flower water to the rhubarb and sugar.

* I guesstimate I used about 500g of fruit - a little too much , as I would have liked more pastry 'lid' and a smaller hole in the middle.

* If holes appear as you gather up the pastry, just break small pieces off the edge , dampen one side and use it damp side down over the hole, gently pressing it into place and smoothing the edges.

The revelation of this dessert was the accompanying Creme Fraiche - it was made by a Cornish company called Rodda's and was so thick that it held it's shape as it was spooned out. Despite being only(!) 30% fat, it tasted as rich as whipped double cream, and not as sharp as many brands. (I'm not advertising for the company - I happened to pick up a small pot from the 'reduced to clear' shelf in the supermarket - 16p instead of 66p!)